Taste and Smell Disorders
Smell Disorders
The sense of smell is something most people take for granted until it’s lost. It only then becomes apparent how such a loss can substantially impact our day to day lives.
The flavor of food is very much dependent upon our smell, and therefore not being able to smell obviates one of the great joys of living: foods still taste either salty, sour, sweet, or bitter, but chocolate is no different than vanilla, a grapefruit no different than an orange.
A loss of smell raises safety concerns related to not being able to smell a gas leak, something burning, or spoiled foods.
The sense of smell can be lost for a variety of reasons. After an appropriate history and examination that includes testing to measure the sense of smell, the reason for the loss can usually be identified. This allows a discussion regarding prognosis and the administration of any appropriate treatment.
Taste Disorders
A true taste loss is uncommon. Rather, most people who feel they have lost their taste instead have lost their ability to detect the flavor of foods, reflecting a loss of smell. Taste loss may occur after trauma, certain infections, and secondary to some medical or surgical therapies.
Many people suffer a persistent salty, bitter, metallic, or other unpleasant taste that is not necessarily associated with a taste loss. Sometimes this can be associated with a burning mouth or tongue.
Diagnosing and Treating Taste and Smell Disorders
Diagnosing Taste and Smell Disorders:
An easily administered scratch and sniff test developed by the University of Pennsylvania Smell & Taste Clinic is a very sensitive and reliable test to detect smell disorders. The taste evaluation relies on whole mouth testing of different tastants such as solutions of sweet, sour, bitter and salt.
Treatment Options:
Sometimes certain medications are the cause of smell or taste disorders, and improvement occurs when that medicine is stopped or changed. Although certain medications can cause chemosensory problems, others—particularly anti-allergy drugs—seem to improve the senses of taste and smell. Some patients, notably those with serious respiratory infections or seasonal allergies, regain their smell or taste simply by waiting for their illness to run its course. In many cases, nasal obstructions, such as polyps, can be removed to restore airflow to the receptor area and can correct the loss of smell and taste. Occasionally, chemosenses return to normal just as spontaneously as they disappeared.
For additional information:
Association for Chemoreception Sciences
University Sinus and Allergy at University Pointe
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